I’ve reviewed quite a few inexpensive lavalier microphones (~$50 or less) over the last several years. And to be honest, I haven’t found one that sounded better than the Giant Squid or JK MicJ 044 in over a year. Until the Aputure A.lav was released, that is. I’m quite impressed with this little mic and what’s more, it runs about $35 USD so it won’t break the bank.

I suspect the reason this one sounds better than many of the others is that it has its own power module. So yes, this is potentially a little more cumbersome, but it also allows you to monitor your audio while recording and to ensure you can use this with just about any device with a 3.5mm microphone input.

If you want to improve the sound of your videos but the budget's tight, the A.lav may be worth a look and a listen.